Online Resource Library
Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadHeinrich Meyer Commentary - 1 Timothy 5:4 - 5:8
(Show All Books | Show All Chapters)
This Chapter Verse Commentaries:
1Ti_5:4-8. There are two opposing views regarding the explanation of this section. (1) The view upheld by the majority of recent commentators, de Wette, Wiesinger, van Oosterzee, Plitt, which is as follows. Paul is giving Timothy instructions to support the “real” widows. From these he distinguishes (1Ti_5:4 being in contrast with 1Ti_5:3) the widow who has children or grandchildren, because they are able and ought to care for her. With μανθανέτωσαν we should supply as subject τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα , and we should understand by τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον and τοῖς προγόνοις the widowed mother or grandmother. 1Ti_5:5 contrasts again with 1Ti_5:4; καὶ μεμονωμένη explains the signification of ἡ ὄντως χήρα . The predicate ἤλπικε κ . τ . λ . denotes the life-work which the “right,” i.e. the forsaken, widow has to fulfil, her fulfilment of it being a necessary condition of receiving support. 1Ti_5:6 declares negatively what conduct the apostle expects from an ὄντως χήρα , and to such conduct Timothy (1Ti_5:7) is to exhort them. At 1Ti_5:8, Paul returns to 1Ti_5:4, τις referring to the widows’ relations, and τῶν ἰδίων καὶ μάλιστα [ τῶν ] οἰκείων to the widows themselves.—(2) The view upheld by most older and some recent commentators, especially Matthies and Hofmann, which is as follows. After enjoining on Timothy to honour the “real” widows, Paul first directs the widows who have children or grandchildren (still uncared for), to show these all loving care, and thereby recompense the love shown to themselves by their parents. The subject of μανθανέτωσαν is τις χήρα (as a collective idea); τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον are the children or grandchildren, and οἱ πρόγονοι the dead parents of the widow. 1Ti_5:5 describes the “real” widow as one who in her loneliness leads a life pious and consecrated to God; and as a contrast to this we have the picture of a wanton widow in 1Ti_5:6. In 1Ti_5:8, again (1Ti_5:4), widows who have relations needing their care are again reminded of the duty of this care.[172]
Each of these views has its difficulties. Against the second view, the supporters of the first maintain the following points:—(1) that as 1Ti_5:4 is in contrast with 1Ti_5:3, and 1Ti_5:5 in contrast again with 1Ti_5:4 ( δέ ), the χήρα spoken of in 1Ti_5:4 cannot be regarded as belonging to the ὄντως χήραις ; and (2) that as εὐσεβεῖν (1Ti_5:4) applies more naturally to the conduct of children towards their mother (or grandmother) than vice versâ, and as the thought: the widow is by her care for her children to make recompense for the care shown to herself by her parents, is “somewhat far-fetched” (de Wette), the ὄντως χήρα can only mean the widow with no relations for whom it is her duty to care.
But the first view has also its difficulties. If we adopt it, we find it strange that the apostle should not have written simply αὐτήν for τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον , and αὐτῇ for τοῖς προγόνοις , all the more that οἱ πρόγονοι is a name for “progenitors.” Further, πρῶτον , which Wiesinger translates inaccurately by “before all,” does not get its full force. It is arbitrary to understand by τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα , grown-up children, especially as the expression τέκνα ἔχειν makes the children appear dependent on the mother (comp. 1Ti_3:4; Tit_1:6). De Wette says regarding 1Ti_5:5 : The author would have more clearly said: “Remind a true and forsaken widow to whom thou dost give support, that it falls upon her to show an example of confidence in God and of continual prayer;” but we can hardly think that the apostle would have expressed this thought in such an uncertain way. Even the three repetitions of the same thought in 1Ti_5:4; 1Ti_5:8; 1Ti_5:16, is at least very strange. Finally, the idea of money-support, on which this view lays all stress, is purely imported. These difficulties are too considerable for us to regard the first view as right in spite of them.[173]
De Wette and Wiesinger are certainly right in regarding 1Ti_5:4 as contrasted with 1Ti_5:3, and 1Ti_5:5 with 1Ti_5:4, as well as in thinking that the word μεμονωμένη sets forth the apostle’s mark of the ὄντως χήρα ; but they are not justified in inferring that in 1Ti_5:4 he is speaking of a widow with relations who can take care of her. Why, in that case, should the apostle in 1Ti_5:5 have said regarding the ὄντως χήρα , that she was to προσμένειν ταῖς δεήσεσι καὶ ταῖς προσευχαῖς , and to do so νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας , for all this is in no way opposed to what is said in 1Ti_5:4? The προσμένειν leads us to suppose that the apostle was thinking of a widow who had not to care for relations.
The right view will accordingly be this. After exhorting Timothy to honour the “real” widows (see on 1Ti_5:3), Paul distinguishes from these ὄντως χήραις , in the first place, the one who is not forsaken, but has children or grandchildren (not grown up); and he lays it on her as a duty not to neglect them. Then he describes the conduct of the “real” or forsaken widow, who has therefore no ἴδιον οἶκον , showing what beseems her in her position in life as a Christian widow; so that he is contrasting the widow who works diligently for her own, and the lone widow who continues day and night in prayer. As opposed to the latter (or even to both), he mentions in 1Ti_5:6 the χήρα σπαταλῶσα , who is, however, to be considered as dead, because her conduct is in entire contradiction with her widowed state. Then there is a natural transition to the exhortation in 1Ti_5:7, which gives the apostle an opportunity for uttering, in 1Ti_5:8, a general maxim in order to impress once more on the widow with relations to care for, the exhortation in 1Ti_5:4.—1Ti_5:4. τέκνα ἢ ἔκγονα ] ἔκγονα here (in connection with τέκνα ) means the “grandchildren” ( τέκνα τέκνων , Hesychius).[174] In classical usage, ὁ ἔκγονος is usually the son ( ἡ ἔκγονος , the daughter), but also the grandson; τὰ ἔκγονα denotes properly posterity (comp. Wisd. 40:15, 44:11, 45:13, 47:22; synonymous with τὸ σπέρμα ).
μανθανέτωσαν ] The subject for this verb might be taken from the object in the protasis; but the formation of the sentence is more correct, if we take the subject of the protasis ( τις χήρα ) to be the subject here also. Τις χήρα is then a collective idea, and takes the plural. Winer, too (p. 586 [E. T. p. 787]), supports this opinion.
πρῶτον ] viz., before they give themselves up to the care of the church for them, with special reference to what follows: χήρα καταλεγέσθω , 1Ti_5:9, or better perhaps: “before she makes work for herself outside the house” (Hofmann).
τὸν ἴδιον οἶκον εὐσεβεῖν ] The term οἶκον likewise shows that he is speaking not of the things which the children are to do for their widowed mother (or grandmother), but of the things which the widows as mothers are to do for the children; because the mother or grandmother does not necessarily belong to the οἶκος of a grown-up son or grandson, whereas the children not grown up necessarily belong to the οἶκος of the widowed mother. The meaning therefore is: they are not to forsake their house, i.e. their children or grandchildren. The term εὐσεβεῖν is used to show that the house is a temple to whose service they are to devote themselves. Matthies inaccurately translates: “practise piety in regard to one’s own house.” Οἶκον is not the accusative of reference, but purely an objective accusative; comp. Act_17:23, and Meyer on the passage. “To honour one’s house” is therefore equivalent to serving it with pious heart;[175] Luther’s translation: “rule divinely,” is not to the point.
καὶ ἀμοιβὰς ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς προγόνοις ] According to the context, the meaning is this: the widows by the εὐσεβεῖν of their house, i.e. by their pious care for their children and grandchildren, are to recompense the love shown to themselves by their parents. Chrysostom: ἀπῆλθον ἐκεῖνοι ( οἱ πρόγονοι )· οὐκ ἠδυνήθῃς αὐτοῖς ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ἀμοιβὴν · ἐν τοῖς ἐκγόνοις ἀμειβοῦ · ἀποδίδου τὸ ὀφείλημα διὰ τῶν παίδων . Though this thought is peculiar, it is neither ingenious (de Wette) nor far-fetched (Wiesinger).
ἀμοιβή , in the N. T. ἅπαξ λεγόμ .; ἀμοιβ . ἀποδιδόναι , Euripides, Orestes, 467.
οἱ πρόγονοι , in contrast with the previous τὰ ἔκγονα : the progenitors; in the N. T. only here and 2Ti_1:3. It would be against usage to understand by it the (widowed) mother or grandmother who is still alive.
τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι ἀπόδεκτον κ . τ . λ .] comp. 1Ti_2:3.
[172] Hofmann, however, takes these verses (5–8) in a different way from that in which they are here interpreted by most expositors; see farther on.
[173] Van Oosterzee, in agreeing with the first view, thinks it puzzling that this commentary gives the preference to the second. But he does not by this furnish anything towards the solution of the question, all the less that he has neglected to enter in any way upon the difficulties surrounding the view he adopts.
[174] Luther translates it “Neffen” (nephew), which in Old German usage has the meaning “descendant, grandchild;” comp. Gen_21:23; Job_18:19; Isa_14:22.
[175] It is certainly correct that εὐσεβεῖν is used properly of conduct towards God, and then of conduct towards parents and persons of higher position; but it is not restricted to such use. In Euripides, Alcestis, 1151, it is used, e.g., of ξένοι . Hofmann well says: “If a widow turns her hack on the house of her dead husband and of her relations, she neglects her nearest duty, and sins against the holiness of family ties.”